Communications using different modalities

Abstract

Communications between users of different modalities are enabled by a single integrated platform that allows both the input of voice (from a telephone, for example) to be realized as text (such as an interactive text message) and allows the input of text (from the interactive text messaging application, for example) to be realized as voice (on the telephone). Real-time communication may be enabled between any permutation of any number of text devices (desktop, PDA, mobile telephone) and voice devices (mobile telephone, regular telephone, etc.). A call to a text device user may be initiated by a voice device user or vice versa.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A system for cross-modal communication comprising:
 a processing means comprising a processor; and 
 a single platform for cross-modal communication between a first device of a first mode and a second device of a second mode different than the first mode, wherein the single platform provides options to the first device for selecting the second mode from a plurality of available modes determined based on an availability of a user of the second device with respect to the plurality of available modes, wherein a first message in the first mode sent from the first device to the second device is converted from the first mode to the second mode and is received on the second device in the second mode and a second message in the second mode sent from the second device to the first device is converted from the second mode to the first mode and is received on the first device in the first mode, the single platform collecting information relating to a topic and an urgency of at least one of the first message and the second message and classifying at least one of the first message and the second message based on the collected information relating to the topic and the urgency. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first mode is voice. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the second mode is text. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first mode is text. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the second mode is voice. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first device is a desktop telephone, cellular telephone, PDA, smart phone, or a PC based soft-phone. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second device is an interactive text messaging client. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-modal communication occurs in real-time. 
     
     
       9. A method for cross-modal communication comprising:
 receiving a request for cross-modal communication between a first device of a first mode and a second device of a second mode; 
 providing options to the first device for selecting the second mode from a plurality of available modes determined based on an availability of a user of the second device with respect to the plurality of available modes; 
 collecting information relating to a topic and an urgency of the request and classifying the request based on the collected information relating to the topic and the urgency of the request; 
 establishing a communication session between the first device and the second device wherein a first message sent from the first device to the second device is converted from a first mode to a second mode and wherein a second message sent from the second device to the first device is converted from the second mode to the first mode; and 
 generating a third message to request from the first device additional information not included in the first message for classifying the first message. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first mode is voice and the second mode is text. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first mode is text and the second mode is voice. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , wherein a user of the first device is a caller and a user of the second device is a callee. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the communication session is established according to a set of rules associated with the caller. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the communication session is established according to a set of rules associated with the callee. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the communication session is conducted in real-time. 
     
     
       16. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that when executed cause a computing environment to:
 receive a request for cross-modal communication between a first device of a first mode and a second device of a second mode; 
 provide options to the first device for selecting the second mode from a plurality of available modes determined based on an availability of a user of the second device with respect to the plurality of available modes; 
 collect information relating to a topic and an urgency of the request and classifying the request based on the collected information relating to the topic and the urgency of the request; 
 establish a communication session between the first device and the second device wherein a first message sent from the first device to the second device is converted from a first mode to a second mode and wherein a second message sent from the second device to the first device is converted from the second mode to the first mode; and 
 generating a third message to request from the first device additional information not included in the first message for classifying the first message. 
 
     
     
       17. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , comprising additional computer-executable instructions that when executed cause the computing environment to:
 convert a voice message to text, wherein the first mode is voice and the second mode is text. 
 
     
     
       18. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , comprising additional computer-executable instructions that when executed cause the computing environment to:
 convert a text message to voice, wherein the first mode is voice and the second mode is text. 
 
     
     
       19. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , comprising additional computer-executable instructions that when executed cause the computing environment to:
 send the converted message to the second device. 
 
     
     
       20. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , comprising additional computer-executable instructions that when executed cause the computing environment to:
 conduct the communication session in real-time.